5 Best At-Home Tests for Weight Management

The weight management field encompasses a range of practices, strategies, and disciplines aimed at achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight for patients. It includes approaches such as dietary interventions, physical activity programs, behavioral therapy, medical treatments, and surgical procedures. Patients who are overweight or obese are at higher risk of developing health problems like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, and certain cancers. At-home diagnostics can support patient weight loss as part of a provider care plan. 

How can at-home diagnostics improve weight management?  

Providers and dietitians can use at-home diagnostics to measure patient success with lifestyle behaviors, including diet and exercise, as well as medicine. For example, food as medicine programs pair patients with clinicians to manage chronic or acute conditions like obesity or diabetes through intentional nutrition. Providers can use lab tests to track patient success with dried blood spot cards, stool collection, and other at-home tests. Food as medicine programs may also incorporate panels for comprehensive metabolic health, food allergies, heart health, and gastrointestinal issues. 

‍Read more about at-home testing to support food as medicine on our blog. 

1. GLP-1 Panel 

GLP-1s like Ozempic treat obesity and diabetes and can result in weight loss of about 10.5 to 15.8 pounds. The surge of GLP-1 popularity has been a boon for manufacturers but a major expense for payors and employers. Health plans save money when patients stop using GLP-1s, but patients who abruptly transition off the drug risk gaining weight. In order to save on costs and better support patients, health plans and employers can use at-home diagnostics to record health patient markers to safely transition them off GLP-1s. These GLP-1 panels often measure BUN, Creatinine, Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, Triglycerides, TSH, and HbA1c.

‍Chat with Ash Wellness about panels for GLP-1 medication adherence.  

2. HbA1c Test  

The relationship between diabetes and weight loss can vary depending on type of diabetes, its management, and individual factors such as diet and exercise. Diabetes management through medication, diet, and lifestyle is essential for maintaining a healthy weight and overall health. Providers who want to help patients manage diabetes can do so through monitoring their HbA1c levels, which tracks average percentage of sugar-coated hemoglobin within patient blood over a period of time. Regularly monitoring these levels with at-home screening can mitigate the potential for complications associated with diabetes, including nerve damage, kidney issues, and heart disease.

3. Metabolism Test 

Many factors can influence metabolism, including age, sex assigned at birth, activity level, and weight loss history. Metabolic testing is a type of hormone test that gives providers information about how many calories a patient burns in a day, which can provide insight into certain aspects of their weight loss journey. Providers and dietitians can send metabolic self-collection kits to patient homes to get a snapshot of current metabolic health and make alterations or recommendations based on results. 

4. Allergy Test 

Allergy testing plays a pivotal role in weight management strategies, especially within the framework of food as medicine initiatives. Through pinpointing food allergies or intolerances, providers can tailor dietary plans effectively. Personalized plans exclude allergenic foods, ensuring patients receive the necessary nutrition without triggering adverse reactions. Patients often experience substantial alleviation of symptoms, ranging from gastrointestinal discomfort to skin irritations and respiratory challenges.

5. General Health Panel

A basic health panel comprises a range of blood tests aimed at offering a snapshot of overall health status. At-home screening often tests for liver function, kidney function, heart health, thyroid function, and lipid levels. Using the results from this panel, providers can formulate personalized dietary suggestions or medication recommendations. For example, if cholesterol levels are elevated, dietary guidance may emphasize reducing saturated fat consumption or cholesterol medication. Patients with high cholesterol levels may be at higher risk for conditions such as coronary artery disease, which can affect overall health and potentially lead to weight-related issues if physical activity is restricted due to cardiovascular problems.

At-home tests for weight management from Ash Wellness 

Ash Wellness supports weight management programs and strategies through at-home diagnostics. Providers can initiate remote care flows with self-collection tests for patients to perform at home, granting insight into hormones, medical adherence, allergies, and general health. The Ash platform lets clients launch national testing programs with a single API integration, including access to our trusted physician network, secure technology, white-label kitting and fulfillment, and CLIA/CAP lab network.

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